


Lives Overlapping

by paperstalk



Series: Lives [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Not Beta Read, POV Severus Snape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26988982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperstalk/pseuds/paperstalk
Summary: World Champion Duelist Severus Snape visits Hogwarts at least three times a year. He knows he makes all sorts of good and bad impressions on the very impressionable youth. But he always hopes the positive outweighs the negative.It is often the impressions we don't know we make that can be responsible for the biggest influences on the  inner-lives of other people.
Series: Lives [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979941
Kudos: 37





	1. Harry's First Year

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in the Merope's Failure AU. 
> 
> Tobias is dead, Eileen is immersed in the wizarding world, and Severus grew up happy in a world without Voldemort and a school without Dumbledore.
> 
> Can stand alone, but might make more sense if you read at least "Severus Snape, Champion Duelist : Rising Star Interview" and "Deep Breath"

Severus Snape stood outside the potions classroom in Hogwarts’ third floor corridor. Two hallways down was his old dormitory and to the left of the Potions classroom was the spare storeroom where in his third year Andromeda Tonks had kissed him on the cheek, called him brave, and rejected his invitation to Hogsmeade. She was so funny and kind and sure of herself. Her being a fit 7th year hadn’t hurt either.

Severus could see Professor Evans-Potter near the front, inspecting the cauldron of some small first year. James Potter claimed Lily was a much less slimy version of their old Potions Professor. Horace Slughorn always seemed a bit grasping to those who didn’t know him as Head of House.

A bit of a tussle near the back drew Severus’ attention.

“Geesh Granger give it a rest and let him work by himself! Just ignore her Neville, this isn’t partner work.”

He’d know that voice anywhere. Harry, his unofficial nephew, sounded just like James when they were in school. And apparently there was a know-it-all in his year. What might Harry think if he knew his own mother was once a know-it-all too?

“Alright class, clean up your instruments and leave the prepared ingredients on your workstations for me to assess. Miss Granger stay after class please.”

The general uproar that is a group of firsties trying to do anything made Severus smile. Many of the students gave him wide eyed glances and he politely stared back at them. Most were still in that phase when prolonged eye contact wasn’t yet socially awkward.

“Harry.”

Green eyes looked away from his laughing friends “Uncle Sev! Mom reminded me that you were coming today. I’m so excited to see your demonstration.”

“What, like a class?” Ron Weasley whined.

“No Ron a demonstration. As in Severus Snape World Dueling Champion is going to show us how to duel.”

“Not everyone is interested in cutthroat dueling Harry. But I imagine there will be a sizable crowd. Why don’t you head to the Lesser Hall on the second floor and get a spot with a good view? I’ll be along after I say hello to your mother.”

With all the stragglers out of the classroom and down the hall, Severus stepped in to greet Lily. But Lily was leaned over a young girl at a lab bench at the back of the room. It sounded and looked like Lily was aiming for kind and knowledgeable but he felt she might be missing the mark.

“Try not to show off hmm? You can be smart, but other people will think your rubbing it in. We’ll just have you work by yourself from now on.”

A soft “Yes professor,” and the top of a curly head skirted past Severus out the the door.

“Sev! How wonderful. I take it you saw Harry? He’ll talk non-stop about this demonstration for weeks, I guarantee it. Come on let me walk you down.”

“Who wouldn’t talk up how wonderfully powerful I am?” Severus fake preened as Lily hooked their arms together.

“Tch, you know what I mean. He’s already dead set on an Exciting Auror career and with you as his personal trainer he might even best his dad one day.”

“Hmm. Apparently you’re not the only adult being emulated then?”

“Yes, yes. She’s in my house, but I’ve actually no idea how, unless her bravery comes from being a know-it-all in the face of scorn. Was I ever that abrasive?”

“I didn’t catch anything abrasive she might’ve done, but I do remember you hissing judgmental instructions to our entire class. Often.”

“Well, perhaps I had a sweeter disposition then. We’re two months in and she doesn’t have any friends. If I squint I might call her behavior Friendly Overture Attempts, but if she doesn’t change soon, they’ll all loathe her forever.”

“Loathe forever seems premature. Perhaps she’ll have better luck amongst the Ravenclaws? Walk with me?”

“They’ve already shut her down. Or shut her out. Filius thinks they’re angry she’s making a run for top student while not being in their house.”

“I thought Minerva was still doing well with interhouse unity?”

“Sometimes I think our years here were a fluke. I felt so accepted and comfortable, and I made lasting friends from every house. And there are cross house friendships now, heavens my own son is a Slytherin and best mates with a couple of dyed in the wool Gryffindors.”

Their conversation had brought them to the second floor. They paused in front of an open door of the Lesser Loos (technically the loos for the Lesser Hall, but most students avoided them and their weird vibe).

“But?”

“But. They were all friends before school. And they all have much less abrasive personalities and are so likable. And she’s just…”

“Not good at making friends?”

“Awful at it. And she’s a muggleborn, so she’s new to all this. That’s part of why they hate her I think. She’s an exceptionally quick study and stubbornly determined in all her efforts.”

“Can any of them hate really? They’ve only been here two months. Maybe she just hasn’t met her people yet. Remember our first years? The group didn’t solidify until nearly third year. Let’s give her some time before she’s written off completely.”

“Enough about all that, how are James and Remus? I’m sure you’ve seen more of my husband than I have recently.”

“I’ll need to fill you in after the demonstration. I need the loo. Later Lils.” With a quick kiss to the cheek Professor Evans-Potter swept off and Severus stepped toward the Men’s Lesser loo, closing the just cracked Women’s loo as he passed it.


	2. Harry's Second Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone can use good advice.

This year’s fall demonstration had gone just as well as any other, though Severus was a bit concerned not to see Harry in the crowd. After his duel, Lily pulled him aside and explained that “young Mister Potter had several outstanding assignments in multiple classes and was strongly encouraged to attend the library instead of the duel”.

Encouraged was probably not what happened. Severus knew well how determined Lily was about keeping up with schoolwork. So he meandered through the large stuffed shelves of Hogwarts Library until he spotted hunched shoulders and unruly black hair slowly scratching out an essay.

Severus quietly slid into the space across the table from his nephew. Harry noticed him immediately and the Evans’ brow drew down further with his deepening grimace.

“Stupid boring homework. She should’ve let me go! My future depends on all the practice I can get.” Harry’s growl was not library inappropriate, but he did glance around making sure his mother hadn’t followed Uncle Sev.

“Yes actually, school work is boring, but top rate aurors are usually top of their class in several subjects. You need outstanding Newts to even make the training program.”

“But there’s just so much reading and everything is so boring.”

Severus tried to recall how Remus encouraged a slacking James and Sirius in their sixth year.

“Books are - think of them like tools, useful for the knowledge inside, a spell that will help save your life, but also useful as a challenge to yourself to be better than the book.”

“Like a mental duel?” Harry asked as his eyes rolled to the heavens.

“Exactly. A mental duel. You have to know the opponent’s knowledge to best surpass them. Now what are you working on?”

As they bent their heads to the Herculean task of a History of Magic essay, neither black haired male noticed they had an audience peering through a bookshelf.

This audience certainly took the world renowned Severus Snape’s comments on mentally dueling authors to heart and scurried off to begin training for their own championship tour in the Advanced Charms section.


	3. Harry's Fourth Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assumptions can make you an ass

Severus watched his mother’s hand pat him condescendingly on the shoulder.

“You would’ve loved the chance to prove yourself and run around playing hero as teen Severus. You know I’m right” Eileen said.

Though she was focused on selecting a few potions from her store cupboard, Poppy chimed in

“The dashing Slytherin using his cunning to outwit all other Champions, bring glory to his school and power to his debonair reputation. Absolutely. Definitely you as a child. Ah ah, don’t deny it. Even though you were incredibly studious, young Severus yearned for others to admire his flair. Eileen do you remember when he went through that swooshy phase.”

“Excuse me?! What swooshy phase? I do not swoosh.” Severus’ incredulity was only partly in jest.

“Oh don’t lie Severus I’m your mother and Poppy basically is. We feel very privileged to have seen all your different phases. Unbearable know-it-all;”

“Oh no not that one” Poppy interjected. She started making her rounds distributing a few Pepper Ups to sniffling students. Severus and Eileen followed dutifully behind her.

“Proud, no nonsense, turn the other cheek prefect;” his mother was awful at pantomime, he had never looked anything like her with her nose thrust up like that.

“My personal favorite, you were such a love”. Severus glared at Poppy.

“And swooshy, the boy flying about proving himself an effective duelist in a long cape that blows in the winds of his fury!”

“Mother.”

“Now Severus, you know its true. You’re just glad you’ve changed your sartorial proclivities. As you are now is You Severus, the real you. But like all of us, you had to morph through those younger experiences, try things out, get to know your own body. That’s why you are so very comfortable in yourself now. Tall, cutting with a wand, and the most debonair son to represent England on the international stage the last 3 centuries.”

In exasperation, Severus turned to the teen in the last bed of their rounds. Poppy was administering a stomache and muscle soother to the groaning student with their head on their knees and a short mop of messy brown curls covering their face.

“Do you hear that? We morph in our student days. From one man to another I might suggest dancing or quidditch at this stage of your morph.”

“Sport would definitely help with the stomache. Too many sweets? I remember Severus could eat a hippogryff at your age, but he was running and flying around so much it was all quickly converted to muscle. There’s still time to invite a girl to the ball eh? A week of hard practice will have you fit as a fiddle to escort your dream date.”

For the life of him, Severus couldn’t make out why Poppy’s lips had pressed together or why she was making those ABORT ABORT eyes at Mother.

The student shrunk in on himself absorbing their knees into their already lumpy midsection. But then the potion Poppy held disappeared under the hair, the ball of a student grabbed a truly massive schoolbag off the end of the bed before scurrying behind Poppy and out of the ward.

“Miss Granger! Come back tomorrow if they persist.”

“Miss Granger? Oh.” His mother looked properly mortified and chastised under Poppy’s death glare.

His own cheeks flamed and he sucked a gust of breath in through bared teeth. Shit.

“Yes. Miss. Miss Granger” she whisper shouted, “who, while a little overweight is still reasonably healthy for a teenage girl. MISS Granger who was here for a pain reliever and muscle soother, not from eating to much at lunch, but for a vicious bout of monthly cramps. Honestly you two. You call yourselves cunning Slytherins. That was the most bumbling Gryffindor cock up I’ve seen in a while.”

“The trousers threw me.”

“Oh so females can’t wear trousers can they Severus Snape?” Poppy stalked back to her office. He glanced at his mother who still had her face plopped into a palm.

“Well. This family holiday should be fun.” Poppy didn’t forgive quickly. She was still sniffing at everything he said three evenings later at the Yule Ball. His mother had moved passed their faux pas, but Severus still couldn’t get over what trauma they must’ve caused.

The thing of it was he _did_ remember his swooshy phase. A phase that ended abruptly when he overheard Narcissa Black mention to Fern Avery to avoid too dramatic a cut in her new over robes. “You don’t want to be another Swooping Severus, the bird of the dungeons do you?”

Gods that had hurt. As an adult he was glad he’d heard it then. Almost. But it would have been easier to come to the realization himself. Less jarring, more personally meaningful, than having someone point out a fault.

There wasn’t really anything he could do to rectify the trauma he’d caused, but he didn’t stop looking for a curly mop throughout the whole dance.

He would not find it, it was resting on a tear-stained red pillow.


	4. Harry's Sixth Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chances to prove yourself are not easy to get

Severus turned the corner into the Charms corridor. Efficient, stealthy steps would have made him dangerous to any unsuspecting students, but in the run up to exams the only bustling place at Hogwarts was the library.

He had just come from meeting Harry in between study sessions. From the way Harry longingly gazed out at the sky, Severus was certain they were mother-mandated study sessions. Harry was disappointed that he wouldn’t get to compete in the annual seventh year’s dueling match, and Severus knew the itch well. But, as he’d reassured his godson, even watching a match was superb practice for a serious dueler.

“Physical fitness plays a major role in dueling, but critical analysis of the field and my opponent has won me every title I’ve got. Remember Ivahn Churkov?”

And who could forget Churkov. Over nineteen stone, over 2 meters, and as dexterously lean as someone that tall could be. Ivahn was a legendary opponent - THE opponent to beat in the 1980 dueling circuit.

Snape vs. Churkov took place in February 1980 in Switzerland, for the Euro-Asian title. He came away victorious, but with his worst injury - an ulna that ached every winter without fail. Severus knew on every level that Churkov came very close to figuratively and literally crushing him, but Snape had seen and exploited Churkov’s dwindling reaction time and his sensitivity to bright lights. Actually a disappointingly simple strategy, once he’d looked past the menace of size.

He hoped that Harry took comfort from the story and observed the afternoon matches more critically.

But first, lunch with his mentor.

Filius’ door was wide open as he approached, but someone was speaking so he stopped in hopes of assessing the meeting without drawing anyone’s attention.

“I am prepared to work diligently and I feel confident that starting my apprenticeship next year will not hinder my NEWTS preparation but instead drive me to be even more prepared, especially for Charms and Arithmancy. I’ve prepared a portfolio of some of my best essays and I think you might find special interest in the ones not written for school.”

Severus could see the professional looking leather folio proffered across the Charms desk by a crisp black robe sleeve. The massive amount of brown hair moved forward as the arm extended even further waiting for Filius to grab it. The folio wilted slightly when Filius sighed loudly and rubbed at his eyes.

“I am sorry dear, I am sure your proposal is adequate.” The folio was slowly retracted.

“But I’m tired and am very serious about my plans to retire soon. And frankly…while your academic performance and theoretics are on par, I would only consider a candidate with a more physical ability, more poise. Elegance goes a long way in Charms you know.”

Severus thought that was a pretty rough critique for anyone, especially a female hoping for a Charms apprenticeship. The way the brown hair slid forward to hide said female’s face, he knew she thought it harsh too.

Filius took out his pocket watch then and craned his neck trying to look up and down the corridor from his chair. He spotted Severus immediately.

“Hello hello! Dear boy I'll come out! Please excuse us Miss Granger we’ve got to get down to the mock competition.”

Flitwick was still very spry and joined Severus in the corridor. Severus felt the casual dismissal of a hoped for apprenticeship could have happened more gently and certainly more privately. He waited patiently as his mentor expounded on this years possible winner, watching the student -now sporting a very red neck and tense shoulders - slip her folio into satchel that had little room to spare. As she turned and made to slip around he and Filius in the door, Severus wanted to extend his condolences.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.” He said it to them both but he was focused on the student. She didn’t look up at him at all. Her hair remained fallen forward and was a very effective shield. Her chin was also tilted away from them just so. Severus wished she knew the apology was mostly for her.

“Not at all dear boy. Come let me close up and we’ll head down.”

“You aren’t interested in apprentices?” Severus asked as they made a slow descent to the Lesser Hall.

“Well if there were someone with your talent who wanted me, absolutely I would snap them up. But that lass just doesn’t have any spark. She’s rather stiff and almost uncoordinated in demonstration.”

Stiff yes, Severus thought. But efficiency of movement and basic self knowledge of body placement was there. The student had gotten out the door without him getting any sort of look at her face. Hunched shoulders and a terse body was not graceful, but it was smooth. And smooth was fast in his line of work.

“Don’t get me started on how much I wish I could have mentored this upstart Jay person. You’ve read all their articles haven’t you Severus?”

“Hmm? Oh yes. I found their rebuttals of the initial critics to be as thoughtful as they were entertaining. ‘Old school exclusivity’ indeed. It is reassuring that there are fresh ideas in the field, don’t you think?”

“Absolutely! He sounds as if he is tremendously gifted in understanding the nuances of the field as it stands, but his new insights will be revolutionary.”

“Is it a man then? I couldn’t find any biographicals anywhere.”

“I wonder where they studied… Well,I just assume. The way he writes would be very self assured for just any woman, so I felt it must be a man. We’ve got several decent young women in this batch of seventh years but I am confident Terrence Higgs will win. How much shall we wager? He’ll win even if he’s matched in the final round with Cho Chang.”

The particulars of the matches absorbed the two men for the rest of the walk to the Lesser Hall.


	5. Harry's Seventh Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heed privacy screens.

It was Severus’ tradition to offer three workshops each year for Hogwarts’ students. Every fall he would give a demonstration duel to show what top rate spell casting could look like in action. Towards the end of February he would be back to watch and counsel a set number of seventh years paired up for duels. These were usually those students interested in entering the mock competition he sponsored after the June NEWTS exams.

He hosted the workshops for free. The satisfaction of sharing his passion, his life’s practice with young people was an excellent way to break up the sometimes monotonous training and traveling schedule of a professional duelist. Severus also wouldn’t be opposed to taking on an apprentice when he eventually retired sometime in the next decade.

The workshops this year had been especially…interesting. In October he had a rousing duel lasting nearly half an hour. Sirius had never been free to partner him before, but his Stealth Auror best friend definitely gave him a run for his galleons. In school, he and Sirius had a fiery friendship. Definitely closer to a hate-to-love-them brotherhood filled with mostly good natured feuds and fisticuffs. The mangy cur knew most of Severus’ strategies and his personality leanings. It had been an interesting challenge fighting with someone who knew him so well, but the dog was routed in the end. Severus knew Sirius well too, and well, Severus was the superior duelist. You didn’t amass nearly every dueling title for two decades running without a bit of skill.

They had both been out of breath and he’d had to wipe the sweat from his eyes with his t-shirt half a dozen times. Sirius always mocked his braided queue, his signature look in a duel. But Severus wondered if his mate might now change his tune. It was Black’s curls that were his downfall in their match after all.

It really had been his most exciting duel workshop to date and they had offered a very dramatic show. Lily was sure every single student was packed into the Lesser Hall. Sirius preened that “standing room only” must be for the famous Auror come to visit. Minerva had scoffed and reassured Sirius it wasn’t the cop the students wanted. Cops didn’t have promotional posters oft to be found pinned up in both male and female dorm rooms. Severus’ smirk was a thing to behold.

Unfortunately, his popularity among the seventh years was not so much for his prowess as his physique. A point made all to clear by the giggling and very poor duelists making up the February workshop. More than half of the paired seventh years just batted their lashes at him as he tried to encourage them to pay attention to their duels. If only it had been monumental dust in the Lesser Hall, but the giggles hammered home the point that many of the students weren’t planning to compete in June and weren’t interested in improving their form.

His chat with Filius about a better vetting system revealed what Severus feared. There were students who had tried to sign-up but hadn’t got to the sign-up sheet before all the slots were filled. Next year they would do away with first come first served.

This third workshop had gone smoothly. A few students who had missed out in February had signed up to compete anyway and the competition had been full of excitement and close calls. Harry had only narrowly beat Draco in the semi-final round. Both boys were his unofficial godsons and it was gratifying to see both do so well in his field. He knew Draco had plans to go for a Potions Mastery, but Harry planned to follow his father into the Aurors. Would James go easy on his own son in the Training Academy? Severus thought not. But Harry might shock his father, he was very good for having had no official training besides friendly family matches. His strategy needed a lot of work, but he was fast and he was strong, an effective combination as an amateur.

This year was another first: there were no injuries in the competitors that he couldn’t heal himself. He hadn’t had to send for Poppy or even send any student to check in with the Matron. His stepmother was forever harping on him encouraging dangerous play amongst the students every June and this year he would gloat at thwarting her nagging.

The hospital wing was quiet. With exams done, Severus supposed the students needing Calming Draughts had lessened. Only one privacy screen was up, but he could see his favorite Matron bustling around the potions cupboard.

“You should be proud Pops! Not a single student injury I needed to bother you with. Come on, tell me I’m your favorite son.”

“You’re my only son. By default your both the favorite and least favorite.”

“But today I’m most favorite so I’ll take it.”

“And I wouldn’t claim no injuries. Just because it happened in the hallway outside the Lesser Hall, Miss Granger was just about to enter when she was struck.”

“Who? Miss Granger…Granger. The missing competitor. She never showed up.” Poppy stormed out of the cupboard, potion in one hand, the other hand on her hip.

“She most definitely showed up! Apparently distracted by something she saw, she was unable to defend against a miscast Petrificus Totalus, from someone practicing for the competition. She fell flat on her face. Right in the open doorway of the Lesser Hall. Which is where Minerva found her some minutes into your opening speech. I hold you responsible for this injury and that no one found her for so long after the fall.”

Poppy yanked back the curtain. Severus, who had a very practiced unruffled facade, cringed at the sight before him. It was a bit like that one car accident he’d seen in Muggle London, when he couldn’t look away. He even stepped forward and bent down to get a better view.

A student sat with her head tilted back over very fluffed pillows. The bridge of her nose was swollen, her eyes were heavily bruised and closed, but her mouth was wide open. The lips looked like they were pulled open by a very uncomfortable spell. The gums were raw and red and the front six top teeth appeared to be growing in at an alarming rate.

“The Skele-Gro is coming along nicely dear. But these front teeth look a bit large. Were they always this big Miss Granger? If not I’ll need recalibrate your dosage.”

Miss Granger’s eyes opened and on seeing her audience was more than the Medi-witch flew wide in alarm. A wounded sound, a whine-grunt, coughed from her opened throat, and Severus stepped closer, alarmed to see fresh tears dripping down her mottled cheeks.

“Is she in pain? Why haven’t you dosed her?”

“I have dosed her thank you very much. Miss Granger has the pain returned?”

Granger closed her eyes and whined again. But she shook her head and curled in on herself. Her hair swung down over her bent head to hide her face.

“What is it dear?” Granger’s only response to Poppy’s question was to sharply flip her hand in his general direction.

Ah. Yes. Shit. Who wants to be looked at by a stranger when they are injured? Correction: Who wants to be seen by anyone with their mouth wide open and likely drooling?

Severus turned his back and began to pull the privacy curtain closed behind him.

“Forgive me Miss Granger. I wish you a speedy recovery. Pops, I’ll see you at dinner.”

He would blame Poppy a little for not shooing him away immediately or barring him from behind the screen to begin with. And Granger. Where had he heard her name before?

The non-apprentice, that was it. Severus wondered if she would have been an interesting competitor or if she really was as wooden as Flitwick claimed. Poppy would get her teeth sorted and hopefully she would land some other apprenticeship of her choosing. Gods knew what his life would be like if Filius had turned him away as she had been.

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel to Braided Lives


End file.
